The present invention relates to a data recorder for imprinting credit card data onto paper sales forms for credit card transations.
In the use of credit card imprinters it has been found that a percentage of clerks fail to insert the credit card before making a transation. As a result, the credit transaction fails to identify the purchaser and the merchant makes a loss.
A means of discouraging this practice is in current use which restricts the print head or platen from moving out of its parked position if a credit card is not in its correct imprinting located on the data recorder.
This system has the disadvantage that since it involves a mechanical block it invites breakage, which is particularly likely to occur when the mechanism is employed in the light weight, inexpensive types of imprinters in common use in retail stores.